


(This is Not) What Fairytales Are Made Of

by Mitchsentrash



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, F/F, Meet-Cute, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-03-30 07:03:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13945968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mitchsentrash/pseuds/Mitchsentrash
Summary: Aubrey and Beca meet on a train. Beca is listening to her music trying to drown out the day, and Aubrey comes across as a stalker, but she’s really just trying to figure out what song Beca is listening to.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not part of my oneshots series, but I hope you like it anyway.

Beca climbed onto the train without much fanfare, her feet hurt, her back ached, and she was as tired as she could ever remember being. She had traveled from her home in sunny Florida to the dreary, damp, and cold recesses of Seattle for a friends wedding. It had been fun and she had surprisingly enjoyed herself, but now all she wanted was her bed in her house in her not wet not frigid part of the world.

Meanwhile Aubrey was boarding the train with a beautiful smile on her face and a bounce in her step. She was going on her first cross country train trip and she was excited to explore all that the world had to offer. She had just beaten the odds and she had vowed to never take another breath for granted.

Beca found her seat and threw herself in it, before digging her phone out of her pocket and shoving her earbuds in her ears. She just wanted to drown out the sounds of the other travelers and the clickity clack of the train. Just a few more hours and she would be tucked into her bed sleeping like a drunk sorority girl.

Aubrey found an empty window seat and dug around in her bag for her camera. That was the great thing about taking the train compared to flying,slower speeds and better views. Everyone was always in such a hurry these days, they never took the time to enjoy the magic that was right in front of them all of the time. Sunrise, sunsets, beautiful birds, and blooming flowers, Aubrey was fascinated by it all.

Beca slouched down in her seat until she was as comfortable as she was going to get and started looking around at her fellow travelers. There were your typical business types, the three piece suits, the laptops, your typical no rest for the wicked hard asses. Then there were the families obviously on vacation. Kids with snotty noses and sticky fingers, complaining about everything. Then she looked across the aisle and spotted a blonde that appeared to be around her age. She had a camera attached to her face and was snapping pictures of everything. Beca rolled her eyes and turned her music up.

After snapping pictures of everything she found interesting Aubrey put her camera away and started looking around at her traveling companions. She loved to people watch, seeing all of the different personalities trying to coexist for the length of the trip. A pouting brunette caught her attention, not necessarily her face, although upon further inspection that was gorgeous. It was only her lips that had caught Aubrey’s attention however. She had earbuds in her ear and was mouthing the words to whatever song she was listening to. Aubrey had an almost unhealthy obsession with music, it started during her many stays in the hospital, and she knew she recognized the words the girl was mouthing if she only she could concentrate hard enough.

Beca could feel eyes on her so she slowly opened her own to see who was staring at her. It was ‘camera girl’, she didn’t have the camera attached to her face now and Beca took a moment to appreciate her beauty. She had soft blue eyes and as stunning smile. Beca was slightly creeped out though, because no matter how attractive the blonde was, staring like she was could be considered borderline stalking. Beca removed her ear buds and waved her hands in the air to get the blondes attention.

Aubrey was snapped out of her lip reading induced haze by the hands waving in her peripheral vision. She took a moment to at least look embarrassed before shrugging her shoulders and waving at the brunette.

Beca waved back half heartedly before getting out of her seat and walking over to the blonde. 

“So that was some stalker level staring you had going on, care to explain?” Beca asked sarcastically.

Aubrey laughed and shook off the comment,”well I wasn’t staring, I mean that’s not accurate because obviously I was staring. What I mean is I was watching your lips because I knew I could figure out what that song was you were singing and I just had to concentrate to remember. I love the Beatles and Hold my Hand is one of my absolute favorites. You have great taste in music, even if your personality is lacking.”

Beca stared open mouthed at the blonde, “Dude, okay first of all, rude much? You don’t even know my name, much less anything about my personality. And secondly the Beatles are the greatest thing to come out of London since fish and chips and their anthology series gave me life in high school. My name’s Beca by the way, what’s yours?”

“Aubrey Posen, nice to meet you Beca.” Aubrey said as she stuck her hand out for Beca to shake. “So besides a love for all things Beatles, would you like to sit here and we can find out what else we have in common?” 

Beca thought about it, before realizing she didn’t really have anything to lose. “Sure, why don’t you start by telling me all about how you learned to read lips so well, and how you got so into music.”

The two women spent the rest of their trip talking and laughing and getting to know one another. Beca was sad once the train pulled into her station and she had to leave Aubrey behind. They had exchanged phone numbers and had agreed to keep in touch. Maybe this would be the beginning of something beautiful, maybe friendship, but they were both really hopeful that it would be a whole lot more.


	2. (The Secrets We Keep) And how they Change our Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beca and Aubrey have been keeping in touch since their meeting on the train. They both want to tell the other a secret so they decide to make plans to meet up and discuss it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: brief mentions of cancer and cancer treatments

It has been two months since Beca and Aubrey met on a train. They are both trying to establish their lives as young adults while simultaneously trying to get to know each other better.

Life keeps them busy, Beca with trying to get a leg up in her career as an interior decorator and Aubrey with freelance photography in between doctors appointments. 

They keep in contact as best they can through calls, FaceTime, and texts. It’s not as good as seeing each other face to face, especially when they are trying to figure out exactly what they want their relationship to be. They are happy with the easy friendship that has developed, but they both want more and are just too afraid to admit it.

Aubrey hasn’t told Beca about her brush with death yet, too afraid that revealing her battle with cancer will scare her young friend off. She is finished with the chemotherapy and radiation, and has been in remission for six months now. All she has to show for her hard fought battle is a six inch scar on her chest above her left breast where the doctors had implanted the chemo port and two tiny blue dots tattooed on her chest by her radiologist so that they knew the exact spot to shoot the radiation to break up the tumors. She had been lucky enough not to loose much of her hair, but she had lost quite a bit of weight.

Aubrey didn’t consider herself to be attractive anymore, she felt broken and bruised and defeated. She put on a brave face and was sunshine and smiles on the outside, but on the inside she was just a brokenshell of the young vibrant teenager she was before. While she was ecstatic to still be alive and given the opportunity to start fresh and she had promised herself that she wouldn’t dwell on the past moving forward was slow and at times scary. That was until she met Beca.

Beca made her feel like her pre cancer self, young and attractive and carefree. Anytime she felt herself getting gloomy or sad all she had to do was text the brunette and Beca would make her laugh and forget her troubles for awhile. Beca was constantly telling her how beautiful she thought she was and talking about their future as if they were more than just merely friends which gave Aubrey hope that their might someday actually be a future.

Aubrey felt that it was time to let Beca know her secret, before she invested anymore time in the new and wonderful feelings she was developing for the gorgeous brunette. This way if Beca got scared and wanted out of the friendship it wouldn’t hurt Aubrey as much. Or at least that’s what she tried to tell herself. 

Aubrey was already very attached to Beca and hoped that after she confessed her secret to her, that Beca might want to stay friends or possibly might want to become more than friends. 

Being a freelance photographer meant that Aubrey could pretty much work from anywhere. And while she was spending the majority of her time in Georgia where her parents lived Aubrey was not opposed to spending more time in Florida with Beca if the brunette decided she would be okay with that. 

Aubrey decided to bite the bullet and just call Beca and tell her they needed to talk. After all how could she make any future plans if she didn’t know how the brunette was going to react to her news. 

Aubrey waited with baited breath as the phone began to ring.

“Hey beautiful, how is your day going?” Beca greeted her friend, that she was pretty sure she was starting to fall in love with.

How could she not love the blonde honestly? She was gorgeous sure, but she was so much more than that. She was funny, and talented, and oddly insecure. They may have only known each other for a relatively short amount of time, but Beca really wanted a relationship with the blonde. 

She just didn’t know how to approach the subject without making the blonde turn tail and run. She just thought what sane human being was imagining a happily ever after type situation with someone they had only met face to face once and only for four days. It was weird right? Like stalker level weird, but Beca just could not shake the feeling that they had been forced into each other’s lives for a reason, like maybe they were soulmates or something. 

Beca was just about ready to grow a pair though and finally admit her feelings because she wanted to know if Aubrey was interested in being more than friends.

“Hey Becs, my day is going great now that I’m talking to you.” Aubrey blushed. “And I hope I you’ll still talk to me after, but I have something to tell you and it’s kind of a big deal.” 

“Well okay,” Beca replied, “but before you start this sounds really serious and I also have some things I feel like we need to discuss and serious stuff should be discussed face to face.” Beca took a big intake of breath before continuing “I’m going to be in Georgia this weekend for work, do you want to meet up?”

The idea of seeing Beca again made Aubrey both nervous and excited. She also felt that a conversation so intense would be better had in person. She just hoped she wouldn’t lose her nerve when faced with those soft grey eyes and that gorgeous smile. 

“Oh my God Beca, yes! I would love nothing more than to see you!” Aubrey exclaimed. 

“Okay, I will get in to Augusta Regional at five. Do you want to pick me up at the airport and we can go to dinner from there?” Beca asked.

“Absolutely, I cant wait to see your gorgeous face!” Aubrey said excitedly.

With their plans made, the girls talked for a few more minutes both giddy and nervous to see how their talk would go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come follow me on tumblr


	3. (Face to face meetings) preparing for the big talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls are finally reunited and after two months they are both equally excited and trepidatious.

Aubrey was nervous, more nervous than she can remember being since the first time they told her she was sick. The idea of seeing Beca again after two months was both exciting and nauseating.

What if Beca freaked and decided that being friends with someone who is recovering from something as serious as cancer is too big of a risk? Much less getting into a relationship with her? 

Aubrey doesn't really think Beca is that shallow, but you never can tell how someone will react to news of this caliber. And sure Aubrey is in remission and as of this moment it looks like a full recovery is a likely option, but you can never tell what the future holds. And while it might be true that no one knows their own mortality and the end result for everyone is death, getting diagnosed with the “c” word at seventeen and going through all of the struggles that entails puts a new spin on life.

This whole experience has been character building for Aubrey. It has given her the chance to appreciate life more. She just hopes Beca can see past Aubrey’s past and see how awesome they can be together.

Meanwhile in Florida, Beca is having a similar freak out session, albeit for completely different reasons. 

She just wants to figure out the best way to convince Aubrey that they would be so good together. That sure the friendship they have is awesome, but considering how well they have clicked in such a short amount of time, the idea of something more is just too damn good to pass up.

Beca wants to get to know everything about Aubrey, from the details of her childhood to what she wants her future to hold. And she wants to share all of those same details with Aubrey.

Beca has never been one to trust easily, but there is something about Aubrey that makes her feel safe and at ease. Aubrey is so sweet and bubbly and optimistic that it brings out a happier more relaxed side of Beca, one she didn’t even know existed until she met the blonde.

She takes a steadying breath and gives herself one last reassuring smile in the mirror, before throwing her bags over her shoulder and locking up her condo.

This is it, she’s heading to the airport and will soon be on her way to see the blonde that she can’t seem to shake from her brain. She will either be coming home the happiest she’s ever been or the loneliest. One way or the other though her life is about to change.

Aubrey jumps a little when her phone sings with an incoming text.

Beca: Hey beautiful, I’m in a cab on my way to the airport now. I’m so excited to see you again.

Aubrey: Hey yourself, I hope you know I’m hugging you and I might not let you go the whole time you’re here. Will you be okay with that? (;

Beca: Well it might make things like eating, and going to the bathroom problematic, but I don’t think I will complain about having a hot blonde attached to me LOL.

Aubrey: I’m pretty sure you’re the only person who can make me blush through texting. Be safe and I can’t wait to see you.

Beca: Haha glad I haven’t lost my touch. I will, and me either. <3 

Beca can’t help but roll her eyes at herself, since when does she use emojis? Aubrey is turning her into a cornball and she loves it. 

As her cab pulls up to the airport Beca makes sure her earbuds are within reach and lets out a small giggle at the memory of how her and Aubrey met in the first place. It’s funny how something as insignificant as a Beatles song can change the course of one's life so completely.

As she boards the plane and gets ready for takeoff Beca isn’t sure if the butterflies in her stomach are from nervousness or excitement but either way she is ready to get to Augusta and get all of these things off of her chest and see what Aubrey thinks about it.

Aubrey has been at the airport for almost an hour now. She was driving herself crazy at home checking her watch every five minutes even though she knew Beca wouldn’t be arriving until five. 

The way she figured it the change of scenery might do her some good, but she was wrong, all it had done was make her more anxious and nervous with a larger audience to watch her pace back and forth practically wearing a hole in the ugly blue carpet. 

This was it, any minute now and Beca’s plan would be landing and Aubrey would have to have the dreaded talk with her and see what she was left to deal with when it was over.

Aubrey was so distracted by her own thoughts that she didn’t hear the announcement that Beca’s plane had landed. It wasn’t until she felt a light tap on her shoulder that she realized how lost in her thoughts she had been. 

She spun around on her heels only to be face to face with her favorite brunette. 

 

Aubrey let out a very uncharacteristic squeal as she picked up the brunette by her waist and gave her a bear hug.

Beca let out a giggle and began bombarding the blondes cheeks with kisses.

This might not be how other “friends” greeted one another at the airport, but Beca was too happy to be with her beautiful best friend again to pay attention to things like that. 

Aubrey giggled as she sat Beca back down on her own two feet. 

“God Beca I missed you so much,” Aubrey said as she took a minute to just admire Becas beauty.

“I missed you too Aubs, but let’s get out of here. You promised me food, and I’m absolutely starving.” Beca said as she patted her stomach.

Aubrey rolled her eyes at Beca’s antics as she grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the exit. 

They might be on their way to have an intense conversation, but as they drove towards the restaurant both women made a silent agreement to just enjoy being in each other’s company for now.


	4. Sometimes we are nervous without reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls decide a pizza parlor will be the perfect atmosphere for their intense conversation

Aubrey pulled up on front of Bambino's pizzeria, one of her favorite places to hang out with friends. She figured the pizza was great, the atmosphere was quiet enough to have the conversation she was dreading, but if things turned out okay and they were still friends after their talk they could play games too. Who didn’t love Pac-Man or giant Jenga and giant connect four? It was always a fun time.

Beca was excited to see that Aubrey had picked a pizza place, because she really was starving and she loved pizza. She was also so nervous she didn’t know if she would be able to eat or not. Her insides were a quivering mess, this was it, she was laying it all on the line. She wasn’t sure, now that the time had finally come, if she could do it or not.

“Hey are you okay?” Aubrey asked Beca as she gave the hand resting on the center console a gentle squeeze.

“Absolutely, sure, yes, I’m great, never better.” Beca stuttered out as she looked up at Aubrey and smiled a nervous smile, and giving the blondes hand a gentle squeeze in return.

“Alright then, if you say so.” Aubrey said ready to get the hard stuff behind them to see where they stood after their conversation. “Let’s go get some food in that stomach of yours, so we can talk.” 

Aubrey walked around to the passenger side of the car, where Beca was already standing with her hands behind her back. She placed her left hand on the small of Beca’s back and led the way to the entrance of Bambino’s.

Beca gave Aubrey a appreciative look as she slipped through the door Aubrey was holding open for her.

“Who says chivalry is dead?” Beca asked Aubrey as she gave the blonde a flirtatious wink.

“Someone who’s obviously never had such a beautiful lunch date I suppose.” Aubrey said with a shrug as she continued into the restaurant as if she hadn’t just said something so completely romantic.

These were the types of things that they said to each other that had Beca so confused on where they stood. It was a little easier to take when she was the one being flirty because there were nearly four hundred miles and a laptop or phone screen between them that gave Beca a sense of false bravery.

While Beca had been standing there completely caught off guard by Aubrey’s face to face flirting, Aubrey had gotten them a table at the back of the restaurant.

“Becs, I got us a table are you going to keep standing there all night or are you going to join me?” Aubrey asked with a laugh as she gently put her hand through the space between Beca’s elbow and her torso, gently pulling her towards their table.

“Sorry Aubs, I’m just so nervous around you today. I want this conversation to go well and it’s making me all self conscious. Let’s get some food, maybe that will help me lighten up a little bit.” Beca said as she pulled Aubrey’s chair out for her and kissed her on the cheek before practically running to the other side of the table and throwing herself into her own seat.

Oh boy, she had to get her shit together before she messed everything up and Aubrey didn’t even give her the chance to confess her feelings.

Aubrey just lifters her eyebrows on amusement before opening her menu and pretending to browse through it, to give Beca the chance to work through her nerves.

Not that Aubrey herself wasn’t nervous, on the inside she was practically having a panic attack. She had just had enough practice controlling her emotions, she had done it so much to appease her parents after her diagnosis that now it was second nature for her.

“Relax Beca, I don’t bite.” Aubrey giggled and then she saw Beca visibly starting to relax which in turn helped her to relax.

“So what’s good here? I mean obviously we have to get pizza, but what else is good?” Beca asked Aubrey.

“You have to try the garlic knots they are so good. And as far as pizza, I prefer cheese, just because everything else tends to get greasy and a tad messy.” Aubrey said as she made a disgusted face that made Beca laugh.

So the two women settled on a medium cheese pizza and a small order of garlic knots with mozzarella dipping sauce for Aubrey and ranch for Beca. 

As they sat sipping their waters and waiting for their food to come out, Hey Jude started playing throughout the restaurant causing both women to look at each other and smile. 

Maybe that was the sign they had both been waiting for to let them know this conversation was going to go well and in the end they would both be happy together. After all the Beatles is what brought them together in the first place.

**Author's Note:**

> Come follow me on tumblr.


End file.
